Cost-Efficient Upgrades

Any business that relies on a commercial kitchen to complete everyday tasks understands that the better the kitchen works, the better business works. Making smart updates to the cooking space can make a big difference in your business bottom line — but first you have to be able to afford the updates. How can you update commercial kitchen equipment on a budget? What are the most important things to focus on? What will make the biggest difference in efficiency? To help answer these questions, here’s a look at some tips for finding the key cost-effective upgrades worth making to your commercial cooking space.

1. Start with a Look at Your Processes: When it comes to commercial kitchen updates, the name of the game is usability. “You need to understand that working on a commercial kitchen differs significantly from maintaining and remodeling a residential one,” according to the Price My Kitchen blog “When planning a home kitchen, you only have to take the needs of the family into account, but in a commercial kitchen, considerations have to be made for the chefs, workers, management and even the customers.” Take the time to evaluate your current systems before making any upgrade decisions. When you find out what your chefs and kitchen workers need, along with what front-of-house staff and your customers are requesting, you’re better posed to make decisions.
2. Focus on Efficiency-Boosting Upgrades: Sure, a pretty kitchen feels inviting, but in business terms, efficiency trumps aesthetics. “Ergonomics is the number one consideration in the design of kitchen space,” says Marlene Affeld at the Houston Chronicle. “Commercial kitchens should be designed for maximum labor efficiency, safety and functionality… If employees do not have to waste time and extra movement completing a task, efficiency is increased and fatigue and workplace injuries are reduced.”
3. Upgrade to Energy-Saving Appliances: A kitchen’s appliances are easily its greatest energy hogs, so when you upgrade to energy-saving appliances, you cut costs well into the future. According to Business Energy Advisor, “Energy-efficient gas and electric commercial kitchen equipment can yield substantial savings with short simple payback periods and doesn’t have a negative impact on food quality.” Look for Energy Star appliances, effective exhaust hoods and a high-efficiency dishwasher to improve your commercial cooking space.
4. Upgrade to Efficient Lighting: Another potential cost saver regards kitchen lighting. Switching to efficient light bulbs and fixtures will give you a way to illuminate your cooking space enough to make cooking convenient, while also allowing you to cut energy costs.

Even when you’re upgrading a commercial kitchen on a budget, you will find the changes can make a big difference if they’re backed by smart strategy and a focus on efficiency. Use the list above to direct your renovation into being as useful and effective as possible!

See all commercial kitchen equipment at https://www.culinarydepotinc.com/restaurant-equipment